An international conference held in San Salvador focused on gambling and its impact on young people. The event brought together leading experts who deal with digital security issues.
Representatives from educational institutions and analysts attended, and representatives from organizations involved in fighting cybercrime, both private and public, were essential guests. The conference was particularly relevant as interest in online betting among young people is only growing.
A study was conducted, and its results were presented at the conference. The study showed that in Latin American countries, gambling applications were downloaded 52% more often, with El Salvador being a leader.
At the same time, more than 40% of users who download such applications are young people between 18 and 25. And they have at least one active account in a mobile gambling app.
That said, in El Salvador, the activity of young people in betting apps is steadily increasing, which raises serious concerns, especially since young people do not always have an understanding of the negative consequences that gambling can bring to their lives. At the same time, not only does their financial situation deteriorate, but also their psycho-emotional state.
For example, data from major bookmakers shows that the number of users aged 18-24 has increased by 73% in the last two years. This is a dangerous trend, which indicates that online betting is becoming increasingly attractive for young people. Moreover, they consider it not only as entertainment but also as a source of additional income.
If you study the statistics of search queries and downloads in app stores among young people interested in betting, most of them prefer to bet on cricket, particularly the IPL.
This may be due to the growing popularity of the sport in the country and the comparative simplicity of cricket. And for betting, many youngsters download cricket IPL betting apps on their smartphones from the Play Store or internet sources.
One of the most critical issues discussed at the conference was how safe such betting applications are. Since they are used by young people, this question is as relevant as possible. At the same time, most platforms do not verify users’ identities and are often unable to protect their data adequately.
The security issue is most often relevant because of personal data that users leave in mobile applications, the importance of which is frequently underestimated. Applications without an official license are hazardous in this case.
The conference also discussed the critical issue of psychological dependence of players, especially young ones. Since they do not have enough experience to realize the risks of their actions, they cannot realize their consequences either.
Psychologist Gabriela Rodriguez said that young people develop addiction quickly, and as a result, they also develop psycho-emotional problems, including depression. To prevent the problem, it is recommended that relevant topics be included in educational programs.